Connor Bedard injury update: Blackhawks' Luke Richardson provides latest on rookie's return timeline

Chicago Blackhawks' rising star Connor Bedard faces an extended hiatus due to a fractured jaw sustained on Jan. 5. Coach Luke Richardson updated that Bedard will miss at least another six weeks.

Richardson expressed Bedard's eagerness to return, stating the rookie center has been actively engaging with trainers daily and questioning why he can't be back on the ice.

"They gave us 6-8 weeks at the beginning, so I don’t know where that puts us at now, it’s probably still four-plus weeks. He’s going to bother the trainers and hang around every day and ask questions about why he can’t play. He wants to play," Richardson said.

“He's devastated not to be here and playing, let alone just being here but he's on course on the recovery. It's going to be probably at least six weeks. It's bone settling,” Richardson said on Tuesday.

"It was 6-8 weeks at the beginning was what was said so like I don't know; you're never going to know, but talk to me in a month. He's not going to be back by then. There's no change; it’s the same so I don't know, six weeks from the start or from now, it's still in between the timeline."

The 18-year-old resumed skating less than a week ago, hoping to face his hometown Vancouver Canucks in a recent matchup where the Blackhawks suffered a 2-0 loss.

"He [isn’t] coming back next week, which would be great, but it's not about him wanting to or not. It's just about the medical side of things and the doctors will let us know when he's ready to come back," he added.

Connor Bedard earlier was spotted practicing with a full-face shield

Despite Connor Bedard's return to skating and light shooting on Jan. 16 while wearing a full face shield, Richardson highlighted the limitations.

“Even though he's wearing a bubble in practice, he can't exert yet," Richardson said. "He's not supposed to clinch too hard and let the bones heal with the surgery they did, and even wearing the shield, that's going to bang into your chin, so that's only going to help when his bones are healed and that’s the timeline.”

Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, leads the Blackhawks and all NHL rookies with an impressive 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 39 games.

As the Blackhawks (14-33-2) navigate a challenging season, currently placed last in the Central Division, the anticipation for Bedard's return remains high among fans.